Durable antibacterial textile finish for cellulosic fibers



United States Patent Patented Jan. 8, 1983 3,072,534 DURABLEANTIBACTERIAL TEXTILE FINISH FOR CELLULOSIC FIBERS Philip B. Roth,Somerville, and Leonard B. Hallows, New Brunswick, N.J., assignors toAmerican Cyanamid Company, New York, N .Y., a corporation of Maine NoDrawing. Filed Feb. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 716,560 7 Claims. (Cl. 167-84)This invention relates to the finishing of textile materials, includingfibers and articles formed therefrom, and to methods of imparting adurable antibacterial finish to such textile materials and to thematerials thus treated.

More particularly, this invention relates to an antibacterial finish ofimproved durability for cellulosic textile materials which containsneomycin and an agent for fixing the neomycin more durably to saidtextile material and to methods of applying the finish and to thetextile material so finished.

In recent years, increased attention has been given to the developmentof textile finishes which have become known as purifying finishes. Thesefinishes are intended to reduce the number of microorganisms residing onthe material whereby such materials may be used with less danger fromharmful bacteria. These purifying finishes, when applied to articles ofclothing worn close to the body, are also helpful in the prevention ofthe development of odor.

Satisfactory purifying finishes should be durable and activ at lowconcentrations against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. It should benon-toxic and nonallergenic. It should not have the tendency tosensitize the wearer of the textile material to the material of thefinish. It should not have the quality of allowing strains of bacteriato develop which are resistant to the antibacterial agent of the finish.Still further, it should be resistant to home and commercial launderingconditions and should impart little or no modification of the hand ofthe textile.

Neomycin employed as a purifying finish is highly satisfactory withrespect to most of these categories, and its use is described in U.S.application, Serial No. 638,695, filed February 7, 1957, now US. PatentNo. 2,830,011, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein byrefer ence. The finish imparted by neomycin employed in accordance withthedisclosure of this application to cellulose textile materialsprovides a very satisfactory and durable finish, which remainsanti-bacterial after numerous launderings. This durability is believedto be the result 3 f the neomycin being substantive to the cellulosebase aterial.

The retention of this antibacterial finish on cellulosic textilematerials containing suitable concentrations of neomycin is excellent insubstantially alkali free laundering mediums; however, the antibacterialeffect is distinctly reduced when the finished material is launderedunder strong alkaline laundering conditions of the type normallyemployed in commercial laundering operations. Apparently, this resultsfrom the alkaline material destroying the substantivity of the neomycin.This shortcoming, while not significant with respect to a large numberof the items and materials for which the invention described therein isreadily applicable, does subject the general inventive concept to arather serious limitation.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide anantibacterial finish containing neomycin for textile materials and inparticular cellulosic textile materials, which is durable to the strongalkaline wash conditions, as for example, of the type normallyexperienced in commercial laundries.

It is a further object to provide cellulosic textile material having adurable finish containing neomycin and methods of providing the same.

It should be noted that the term neomycin" is used herein in itsordinary sense to denote the commercially available product which iscalled neomycin, it actually being a mixture of two very closely relatedantibiotics known more specifically as neomycin B and neomycin C. Theterm is also intended to cover neomycin as just defined, the individualcomponent of the complex or its salts of which the sulfate is the mostgenerally available. Other salts of neomycin have been used in finishingtextiles with good results. Among these may be mentioned neomycinparahydrobenzoate, neomycin sulfanilate, neomyc.n-Ntartrate, neomycinpropionate, neomycin aconitate, neomycin phthalate, neomycinundecylinate, neomycin palmitate, neomycin stearate and others.

By cellulosic textile material as the term is used herein, it is meantfibers or formed fabric, either woven or felted, containing at leastfibers of cellulose origin, and preferably composed entirely ofcellulose for maximum effect. As examples of cellulose textilematerials, the following are illustrative: cotton, regeneratedcellulose, linen, jute, ramie, hemp and the like. Blends of thesematerials, and combinations of these materials, or blends thereof withwool, silk, nylon, acrylic fibers, polyester fibers, and the like, arealso contemplated.

In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided forimparting an antibacterial finish to textile fibers durable to strongalkaline laundering, which comprises the step of contacting said fiberswith at least about 0.000l% of neomycin based on the dry weight of thefibers and a water-soluble copper containing fixing agent capable ofimproving the durability of the said neomycin on the fiber.

As used in the present specification, the term strong alkalinelaundering conditions is intended to include laundering in wash waterhaving an alkaline material concentration of 25 parts per 75,000 partsof water and a corresponding pH value of about 10. Norma-11y, theselaundering conditions are those employed by commercial laundrres, inwhich sodium carbonate and caustic soda are the alkaline agents, theconcentration of which in wash water may be from between 10 and 50 partsper 75,000 parts of water, and having a pH of from between about 8 and14. v

The concentration of the neomycin to be applied to the cellulosematerial may be varied within wide limits depending upon the use towhich the particular material is intended. Useful results are obtainablewhen the fabric contains as little as 0.000l% by weight of the neomycinon the dry weight of the textile material. The preferred range variesfrom about 0.01% to 1% by weight of neomycin on the fabric. Forprophylactic purposes, deposition of from about 0.005 microgram up to 10micrograms per square centimeter has been found satisfactory withpreferred commercial ranges lying between in about 0.1 and about 6micrograms per square centimeter.

The effective water-soluble copper-containing fixing agents arewater-soluble copper sats or dye-fixing agents containing copper. Asexamples of suitable copper salts, cupric acetate, cupric sulfate,cupric bromide, cupric chloride, cupric nitrate, cupric lactate, cupricfozmate and cupric salicyla-te are examples of those that have beenemployed successfully.

Examples of water-soluble copper-containing dye-fixing agents which havebeen found suitable are those agents which increase the fastness ofd.re:t dyes on cellulose fibers. These agents are Water-soluble complexresinous copper-containing materials so d under various trade names,e.g., Ahcofix S (Arnold, Hoffman Co), Benzofix CWF (General Aniline andFilm Co.), Gyco-fix 67 (Geigy Chemical Corp.), and Cuprofix 47 (SandozChemical Works, lnc.). These materials are water-soluble, resinouscondensation products of an aldehyde such as formaldehyde with amides,having copper p.e ent in the form of a simpe salt without directcombination wi.h the resinous component or in complex with said resinouscomponent.

In addition to those designated by their commercial names hereinabove,Naccufix (Allied Chemical and Dye Corp.), another water-solublecopper-containing dye-fixing agent, has been employed with success.

Of the water-soluble copper-containing fixing agents, cupric sulfate andcupric acetate are preferred.

The neomycin may be applied to the textile material by any of the knownconventional finishing techniques whereby the material is in contactwith the neomycin for a sufficient period of time to fix the neomycin onthe material. Thus, for example, it may be applied by padding, spraying,submersion, exhaustion or the like. The watersoluble copper containingfixing agent may be apphed simultaneously with the neomycin from thesame bath or from a separate bath either before or after the treatmentwith neomycin. As a general rule, and because certain of thewater-soluble dye-fixing agents are not compatible with the neomycin,these materials are best applied in two stages from separate baths.

After treatment, the cellulose textile material is then dried at roomtemperature or more rapidly at elevated temperatures as high as 350 F.The materials thus treated have the neomycin present adhered to the basein such a manner as to resist alkaline laundering.

The concentration of the neomycin in the treating solution may be variedwithin wide limits, depending on the use to which the treated materialis intended. When applied by padding, the solution should contain fromapproximately 0.000l% to 4% and more, by weight of neomycin, as isdesired in the dried fabric, since in th padding operation, the fabricis usually impregnated with from about to 150% of the weight of theliquid and then dried. When applied by exhausting, the solution maycontain as little as 0.001 microgram per milliliter of solution whenhighly absorptive cellulosic fibers are treated. From 5 to 500micrograms of neomycin per milliliter is considered a preferred rangefor application by exhaustion. For normal prophylactic purposes,sulficient concentrations of neomycin may be substantially adhered tobase materials from aqueous treating solutions containing from about 1microgram to about 400 micrograms per milliliter with preferredcommercial limits lying between about 2 and about 200 micrograms permilliliter.

With respect to formed fabrics to which the finish of this invention maybe applied, they may take any shape, size or form and are articles whichare intended to be re-used. Specific illustrations of such articleswould include wearing apparel, handkerchiefs, diapers, hand, dish andbath towels, books and book covers, washable cloth toys, dolls andsimilar playthings, hospital and hotel sheets and pillowcases, hospitaland examination room bathrobes and slippers, barbers and beauticianscloths, and similar articles.

It has been determined that the smallest amounts of copper-containingcompounds which give the maximum amount of durability to the neomycinfinish on the cellulo ic textile material may be expressed as thatamount of copper compound which provides four atoms of copper per moleof neomycin. However, a concentration as low as one atom of copper per 8moles of neomycin resulted in some improvement of the durability of theneomycin finish. For practical purposes, the limits respecting therelative amounts of the copper compound and the neomycin a e frombetween 1 atom of copper to 8 moles of neomycin to 8 atoms of copper toone mole of neomycin and preferably from between one atom of copper per4 moles of neomycin and 4 atoms of copper to 1 mole of neomycin.

The use of more than the amounts of copper per mole of neomycin definedhereinabove is not only uneconomical but also may cause seriousdiscoloration of the fabric, which in the case of white goods could bedeleterious. Thus, it is greatly preferred to employ minimumconcentrations of the copper compounds, particularly where white goodsare being finished.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been determined thatonly water-soluble copper-containing fixing agents have been effectiveto improve the durability of the neomycin on cellulosic textilematerials to be subjected to strong alkaline washes. Numerous othermetallic salts, including those of iron, aluminum, potassium andantimony, chromium, magnesium, manganese, zirconiurn and variousmixtures of some of these metallic salts have been employed withoutsuccess.

In the subsequent examples and tables throughout the presentspecification, the test referred to therein for the determination ofantibacterial activity is a standard one and the treated fabrics aretested by a standard agar plate method. For evaluating the extent ofdurability of the antibacterial activity of the textile finish, aconvenient test method has been devised on inhibition of bacterialgrowth by a piece of textile placed on an agar plate inoculated withvarious strains of bacteria. The two commonly used strains are E. coliand S. aureus, which are strains usually employed in the valuation ofantibacterial agents for various purposes.

Thus, by determining the antibacterial activity of cloth treated by theprocess of the invention before and after a number of launderingtreatments, the effectiveness of the finish may be determined. Thedurability of the finish is determined by subjecting the treated textileto a series of repeated launderings. The number of times the materialmay be laundered before antibacterial activity decreases below aneffective level will give a measure of the durability of the finish.

In the test for antibacterial activity, discs of treated fabric of acertain size (11.5 mm. in diameter) are placed on an agar plate andinoculated with the bacterial culture. After two hours contact, the discis removed and the agar plate is incubated overnight. The degree ofinhibition of growth gives an index of the inhibitory effect by thefinish on the cloth. This inhibition is easily observed, since the areawhere the bacterial growth is inhibited remains clear, whereas theremainder of the area Where the bacterial growth has taken place becomescloudy or opaque. The area under the disc is observed and in additionthe total diameter of the area larger than that occupied by the discresults in an area larger than that occupied by the disc itself.

Effective finishes show a clear area at least under the disc with moreeffective finished areas having a diameter greater than that of the discitself. If the area of inhibition is greater than the area of the disc,the activity is given as the diameter of the clear area in millimeters.Otherwise, a rating C denotes complete inhibition of bacterial growthunder the disc; a rating of P denotes partial inhibition and N ratingdenotes no inhibition or activity while S and VS denotes slight and veryslight inhibition. It should be noted that P is at least 50-75%inhibition, under the test fabric.

As has been noted, the presence of alkaline material, caustic, sodiumcarbonate, or their equivalents in the Washing or laundering medium ashardening aids, even though slight, as for example, as little as gramsof soda ash for 75,000 cubic centimeters volume of the wash liquor,results in a surprisingly marked reduction in the durability of thefinish containing neomycin alone. As the amount of alkaline material isincreased in the wash liquor, the durability is rapidly decreased to thepoint where no antibacterial inhibition exists. Antibacterial finishesin accordance with this invention are durable to launderings whereinalkaline materials are employed in the wash liquor.

While it is not known with absolute certainty why the finish of thisinvention is durable to laundering when the wash liquor containsalkaline materials, and neomycinalone is not, it is believed that thewater-soluble coppercontaining fixing agents form complexes with the neomycin which is not as readily attacked by alkaline materials. Thistheory, while apparently verified by repeated experimentation, some ofwhich is recorded hereinafter, should not necessarily be binding onapplicants by its presentation here.

In order that the present invention may be more fully understood, thefollowing examples are given primarily by way of illustration. No detailor specific enumeration contained therein should be construed as alimitation on "the present invention, except as they appear in theappended claims. All parts and percentages are by weight unlessspecifically designated.

EXAMPLE 1 62.5 parts of a solution of neomycin sulfate containing 1% ofneomycin base were diluted with water at room temperature to give a0.0625 of solution of neomycin base. 80 x 80 bleached cotton fabric waspassed through this solution and the excess removed from the fabric bypassing it through a squeeze roll to give an 80% expression. The fabricwas dried at about 225 F. The amount on the so treated fabric is .05

EXAMPLES 2-l1 temperature to give a 0.0625% solution ofneomycin' base.80 x 80 bleached cotton fabric was passed through this solution, and theexcess removed from the fabric by passing through squeeze rolls to givean 80% expression. The fabric was dried at about 225 F. Theabove-treated fabric was then passed through a 0.0625 aqueous solutionof the agentslisted above at room temperature. Excess solution wasremoved by passing through squeeze rolls to give an 80% expression, andthe fabric was dried at about 225 F. The treated fabric contained 0.05%of neomycin base and 0.05% of the copper-containing fixing agent on theweight of the fabric.

The results of these applications and that of Example 1 appear in TableI hereinbelow.

EXAMPLES 1118 In these examples, the following agents were employed inthe order in which they are listed: ll-Benzofix CWF; 12-Gyc0fix 67; 13Cu'profix 47; 14-Naccufix; 15-a1uminum acetate; 16-ferrous sulfate;17-cupric acetate (four atoms of copper per mole of neomycin); andl8-potassium dichromate.

While, in Examples 1-10, the neomycin was applied first and then thefixing agent from separate pad baths, in Examples 1l-18 the procedurewas reversed and the fixing agent and then the neomycin were applied tothe cotton fabric from separate pad baths.

The general procedure employed in Examples 11-18 was as follows:

x 80 bleached cotton fabric was passed through a 0.0625% solution of thevarious metallic salt and dye-fixing agent at room temperature. Excesssolution was removed by passing the impregnated fabric through squeezerolls to give an 80% expression and the fabric was dried at about 225 F.The above-treated fabric was then passed through a 0.0625% solution ofneomycin base prepared by diluting 62.5. parts of a solution of neomycinsulfate containing 1% of neomycin base at room temperature. The excesssolution was removed by passing through squeeze rolls to give an 80%expression. The fabric was then dried at about 225 F. The treated fabriccontained 0.05% of neomycin base and 0.05 of metallic salt or fixingagent on the weight of the fabric.

EXAMPLE 19 Operation Temp., Time, Water, g Soap. g Soda F. min ash, g.

1st wash 160 10 2nd wash 160 10 3rd wash 10 10 4th wash. 160 10 1strinse H0 5 2nd rinse 5 3r rinse. 140 5 4th rinse 140 5 5th rinse 80 5 Itwas then spun dried and pressed.

The following Table I shows the test results for the combination ofneomycin and the various metal salts and copper-containing fixingagents.

In the test values reported in Table I, numerical values denoteantibacterial activity greater than the diameter (11.5 millimeters) ofthe fabric test circle expressed as the diameter of the zone ofinhibition in millimeters.

Other values recorded therein are as follows:

Cdenotes activity equal to the area covered by the test circle.

P-denotes at least 50% inhibition under the test circle.

Sdenotes slight inhibition.

VS-denotes very slight inhibition.

N-denotes no activity.

ppartial zone in addition to actual zone measured in millimeters.

Tabl l 1 Uneven inhibition.

EXAMPLE 36 80 x 80 bleached cotton percale was treated for 20 minutes at80 F. in a solution of neomycin sulfate containing 0.1% neomycin, basedon the weight of the fabric. The ratio of solution to fabric was 30: 1.The cotton was turned intermittently during the exhaustion period. Afterremoval from the bath, the fabric was squeezed and dried at about 225 F.

EXAMPLE 37 The above-treated fabric was then passed through a 0.128%solution of cupric acetate monohydrate, and the excess solution wasremoved by passing the fabric through squeeze rolls to give an 80%expression. The fabric was then dried at about 225 F. The ratio of atomsof copper to moles of neomycin was approximately 4:1.

EXAMPLE 3 8 The above procedure was repeated using a solution of 0.162%of cupric sulfate (CuSO .5H O) in place of the cupric acetate solution.The ratio of atoms of copper to moles of neomycin was approximately 4:1.

The antibacterial activity of the fabrics treated in accordance withExamples 36 to 38 above was measured before and after one alkaline wash.The alkaline wash was that described in Example 22 hereinabove and theresults are shown in Table IV hereinbelow.

Table IV Example No 36 37 38 Copper salt None Oupric ace- CupricsultataH o. fateSHgO. Percent concm. 0.128% 162%.

ZONE or INHIBITION E. coli:

Initial 13.4; 20.2 p 13.3; 18.3 p 12.4; 17.0 p 1 wash--. N 12.0; 13.6 pP-C; 13.8p S. aureus:

Initial 16.5 15.8 15.0. 1 wash N 13.6-- 12.5.

1 Uneven inhibition. 7

As will be seen from Table IV hereinabove, the application of theneomycin to the cotton fabric without the aid of the fixing agents ofthis invention resulted in the production of an antibacterial finishwhich was nondurable to an alkaline wash, while the employment of cupricsalts in accordance with the present invention and by the employment ofexhaustion techniques resulted in an antibacterial finish durable to analkaline wash.

In addition to the applications carried out in Examples 36 to 38 wherethe neomycin was applied by exhaustion followed by the application of acopper salt by padding, similar results with respect to the durabilityof the neomycin finish were obtained when the neomycin and theequivalent copper salts were applied simultaneously from the same bathby exhaustion. It should be noted that where the applications were madewithout the employment of the cupric acetate or cupric sulfate, thefinish was not durable to alkali wash, and those that were, weredurable.

EXAMPLES 39 and 40 Two samples of 80 x 80 cotton percale were paddedwith two solutions containing neomycin sulfate and cupric acetateaccording to the general procedure set forth for Examples 20-35hereinabove. These solutions contained the ratio of atoms of copper tomoles of neomycin indicated. The antibacterial activity of the treatedfabric was measured before and after each of four alkaline washes inorder to determine the durability of the antibacterial finish torepeated alkaline washes. The alkaline wash was described hereinabove inExample 19 and the results are shown in Table V hereinbelow.

Table V Example No Example 39 I Example 40 Atoms copper: moles neomycin.

ZONE OF INHIBITION Initial. 14.6; 21.0p 14.

O, 12.6 p P-O; 12.0 p Vs 1 wash 2 washes 3 wa he 4 washes 1 Uneveninhibition.

Table V hereinabove indicates that by application of the principles ofthe present invention an antibacterial finish comprising neomycin may berendered durable and effective through four alkaline washes while thoseapplied not EXAMPLE 41 x 8'0 bleached cotton percale was treated with asolution of neomycin sulfate alone and with neomycin sulfate and cupricacetate monohydrate as described in the general procedure for Examples20-35 hereinabove. The ratio of atoms of copper to moles of neomycin was4:1.

Samples of the treated fabrics were subjected to a series of alkalinewashes wherein the amount of alkali was varied. Three consecutive washeswere carried out on each sample in a given concentration of alkali. Theantibacterial activity of the samples of fabric was measured before andafter the first and third washes of each series of washes.

The washing operation was carried out without bleach or sour in acommercial washing machine (Najort) using four wash cycles and fiverinse cycles according to the following schedule:

Operation Time,

min. g.

Soap, g. Alkali 2 es. 1 es.

1 See Table VI.

The load was 6 lbs.

The fabric was then spun dried and pressed.

The test results are shown in the following table.

Table VI hereinbelow records the results of these tests. It illustratesthat only through the presence of the copper salt functioning to renderthe neomycin durable on the cotton percale can the finish withstandalkali washes.

l l l 2 Tablet V! E. 0012' S. aureus p11 Initial 1 wash 3 washes Initial1 wash 3 washes 8.1,110 alkali Neemycin alone 15.9; 22.7 p C; 12.o pP-C; 12.0 p. 20.0 12.8 12.6.

Nggrycin plus copper aee- 17.0; 21.1p. 12.0; 13.8 p C; 12.0 p 19.6 14.313.6. 8.6, 10 g. soda ash ITeordyein alone 15.9; 22.7 p 20.0

Neo nycin plus copper ace- 17.0; 21.1 p, 19.6 9.4, 25 g. soda ash N ilycin alone 15.9; 22.7 p 20.0

Negyein plus copper ace- 17.0; 21.1 p 19.6 9.45, 50 g.soda ash Neam yeinalone 15.9; 22.7 p N N 20.0

Neggycin plus copper ace- 17.0; 21.1p VS N 19.6 10.0, 10 g. soda ash, 5g. caustie. Neauryciu alone 17.7; 22.4 p NZVS 1 N 21. 5

Negtrzreiyein plus copper 2100- 17.8; 22.4 p.- 12.0; 12.8 p 19.9 105,10g. soda ash, g. caustic--. Neomycin alone 17.7; 22.4 p 21. 5 P-C;1 12,013. vs,

Niggrycin plus copper ace- 17.8; 22.4 p 19.9 15.5 12.9. 10.8, 10 g. sodaash, g. caustic.-. Nennyein alone 17.7; 22.4 p N N 21,5 P-C N.

Neg gycin pluscopper aeo- 17.8; 22.4 p. 12.0; 12.6 p.- N 19.9 14.1 S-I.

1 Uneven inhibition.

While the present invention relates primarily to finish- 5. A method ofimparting an antibacterial finish to ing of textile materials withpurifying finishes containing formed rayon fabric, which finish isdurable to alkaline neomycin and copper fixing agents, it will beapparent that laundering, which comprises applying to said fabric fromother textile treating agents, lubricants, softeners, Wetting an aqueoussolution at least 0.000l% of neomycin based agents and the like may beincorporated in the treating on the dry weight of the fabric and awater-soluble copbaths so long as their presence and function does notper-containing fixing agent for said neomycin, said fixing inhibit orimpair the antibacterial finish and its durability agent being selectedfrom the group consisting essentially in accordance with this invention.of water-soluble cupric salts and Water-soluble copper- The neomycincomponent employable in the present incontaining dye fixing agents.vention, is, for the most part, stable at room temperatures 6. A formedtextile fabric, at least 50% of the fibers of over substantial periodsof time. However, the combinawhich are selected from the groupconsisting of cotton tion of the neomycin and water-soluble coppercontaining and rayon, and characterized by an antibacterial finishfixing agents, if compatible, are usually not stable for durable toalkaline laundering finished by the method acperiods of time in excessof a month at room temperature. cording to claim 1.

Thus, for the most part, it is preferred not to mix the 7. A formedcotton fabric characterized by an antibaccomponents, even whencompatible, when storage and terial finish durable to alkalinelaundering finished by the shipping times in excess of a month arecontemplated. method according to claim 4.

In addition, since ageing of the mixtures sometimes re sults indiscoloration, it is generally more desirable not References Cited inthe file of this Patent to mix the components until immediately prior touse. 4 UNI D STATES PATENTS We claim: 0

1. A method for imparting an antibacterial finish to g g 1956 formedtextile fabric, at least of the fibers of which 2799620 i e a 1957 areselected from the group consisting of cotton and 2830011 i Sman et aJuly 1957 aiker Apr. 8, 1958 rayon, which finish lS durable to alkalinelaundering, 2856 330 Va" O 4 1 5 which comprises applying from anaqueous solution to 50 208606 G ms 1 9 8 said fabric at least 0.0001% ofneomycin based on the or on 1959 dry weight of the fabric and aWater-soluble coppcr-con- FOREIGN PATENTS taming fixing agent for saidneomycin, said fixing agent being selected from the group consistingessentially of 453,348 France 1913 water-soluble cupric salts andwater-soluble copper-con- 9 France J1me 1954 taming dye fixing agents./88,668 Great Britain Jan. 8, 1958 2. A method according to claim 1 inwhich at least 0.001% of neomycin is applied to the cotton fabric andOTHER REFERENCES in which the fixing agent is cupric sulfate.Rosenkranl! Oligodynamic Action of pp on 3. A method according to claim1 in which at least Bacteria, in Archyg-, 89, Pages 253-261 0.00l% ofneomycin is applied to the cotton fabric and in Stmcted in Chem-Abstracts which the fixing agent is cupric acetate. Weinberg: The MutualEffect of Antimicrobial Com- 4. A method of imparting an antibacterialfinish to Pounds/and Metallic Cations, P 8 Bacteriologiforrned cottonfabric, which finish is durable to alkaline Cal Reviews, 21, J 111161957- laundering, which comprises applying to said fabric from 65 y 6t511-1 Metal (311615195 of p y XLIV, an aqueous solution at least 0.000l%of neomycin based 1 y 1955, Pages on the dry Weight of the fabric and awater-soluble cop- Weiss et a1.: Bacteriostatic and bactericidalproperties per-containing fixing agent for said neomycin, said fixing 0fnfiomycin Proc- Acad- 36, 293 agent being selected from the groupconsisting essentially of water-soluble cupric salts and water-solublecoppercontaining dye fixing agents.

1. A METHOD FOR IMPARTING AN ANTIBACTERIAL FINISH TO FORMED TEXTILEFABRIC, AT LEAST 50% OF THE FIBERS OF WHICH ARE SELECTED FROM THE GROUPCONSISTING OF COTTON AND RAYON, WHICH FINISH IS DURABLE TO ALKALINELAUNDERING, WHICH COMPRISES APPLYING FROM AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION TO SAIDFABRIC AT LEAST 0.0001% OF NEOMYCIN BASED ON THE DRY WEIGHT OF THEFABRIC AND A WATER-SOLUBLE COPPER-CONTAINING FIXING AGENT FOR SAIDNEOMYCIN, SAID FIXING AGENT BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTINGESSENTIALLY OF WATER-SOLUBLE CUPRIC SALTS AND WATER-SOLUBLECOPPER-CONTAINING DYE FIXING AGENTS.